Double-acting snap switch



All@ 8, 1950 J. o RoEsER 2,518,255

DOUBLE-ACTING SNAP swxTcH Filed NOV. 9, 1949 INVEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 8, 1950 lohn4 l0 Roeser, lGhioago, Illa, assigner to' The Exhibit Supply, Company, Chris-:agp Ill., a ooziporation ofIiInoi's.

Application November 9, 1949, Serial No. 126,314"

This invention. relates toY new, and simplified improvements in. double-acting snap switches of the type used for alternately closing twocircuits. As such the invention has for its principal object the provision for properly locating and retaining in a properly located position the bridging contact of the switch, the arrangement preventing the bridging contact from becoming displaced as well as providing a positive connection between the bridging Contact and the push button of the switch.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

r"he invention consists inthe novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the push button side of the switch;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in different position with respect toV each other;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the bridging contact embodied in the invention;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same.

My improved and simplified double-acting snap switch comprises in its preferred form of construction a central ring IIJ, on opposite sides of which are arranged plates II and I2. The ring to and plates II are secured together .lby nut-bearing :bolts I3. WhenA secured together the ring and plates provide a housing, the interior of which provides a chamber I4. The ring I3 and plates II and i2 are preferably formed of Bakelite or other non-conductive material.

The confronting inner faces of the plates II and I2 are provided with recesses I5 into which the end portions of connector fingers I6 and I1 are positioned and held in such position by means of the ring I6 when the plates II and I2 are secured thereto by the nut-bearing bolts I3.

The ends'of these connector fingers i6 and I1 L.

carry head-bearing screws I8 by means of which the terminals of conductor wires (not shown) are .Connected to these connector ngers I5 and I1. The inner end portions of these connector fingers i6 and Ii on opposed faces carry contact heads An opening 2G is formed in the plate II, and this opening terminates into an enlarged counterbore .2I formed in the inner face of the plate I2. Slidably arranged in, this Vopening is a push iiroiaim'.. torace-fre) 2 I butto-n- 2'2 havingl an enlargedhead- 23 of a size to nt snugly for free passage into the counterborev 121. v Y- The-plated* has'rformedtherein a; socket 24, Positioned in this socket 24 isv an expansion Sprit-r2@ which embraces a stud shaft 25. This stadshart-25% is' shorter irr lengtlr than' thedepth of the socket 2s so that the head 21 of the stud shaft 2G may pass into the socket 24 in a manner and for the reasons hereinafter set forth.

A bridging contact plate is indicated at 28. This bridging contact plate is preferably formed of a single piece of elongated sheet conductive material having portions struck therefro-m to provide parallel slots 29 and to form the intermediate portion of the plate into an actuating v spring strip 3E. This strip 30 is buckled Iby forming in the side ibars 3| of the plate 28 humps 32 which are pressed out of the plane of the surface of the plate 28 so as to draw the ends of the plate 28 together and thus buckle the actuating strip 33. This actuating strip 30 midway between its opposite ends is provided with a rib 33 substantially U-shaped in cross section and of a size to snugly t into a transverse groove 34 formed in the push button head 23. The head 2l of the stud shaft .26 provides a reduced bead which fits snugly into the rib 33 whereby to locate the stud shaft properly within the socket 24.

To complete the bridging plate 23 there is provided at opposite ends of such plate on opposite sides thereof, contact heads 35 Iand 36. The bridging plate 28 is mounted in the chamber I4 in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3 lwith the rib 33 yieldably held by the spring 24 into the groove 34 of the push button 22.

When the bridging plate 2B is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the contact heads 36 will be in engagement with the contact heads of the fingers I1. the contact plate 2.8 will be biased in a direction opposite to the movement of the push button 22 so as to dispose the contact heads 35 into contact with the contact heads of the fingers I6. Upon release of the pressure on the push button 22, the spring 2li will move the push button to the position shown in Fig. 2 and bias the bridging plate 28 to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this man- Y ner I provide a double-acting snap switch capable of alternately making and breaking two circuits, The rib 33 and groove 3f. prevent displacement of the bridging plate 28 from the push button 22 in a longitudinal direction and provide a positive By applying pressure on the push button 22.V

3 connection between the actuating strip 30 and this push button.

A snap switch constructed in accordance with the foregoing description is of a Isimplified construction and comprises relatively few parts, thereby eliminating the necessity of replacement parts.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that since the contact spring is free to rock about its transverse axis while in the groove of the operating button, it is impossible for one contact to lift before the other because of this self-centering action.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my in vention into efect, this is capable of variation and modication without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise detail-s of construction set forth, but desire to availmyself of such variations and modifications as Acome within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what claim as new and desire` to protect by Letters Patent is:

A snap switch of the class described comprising a body providing a chamber in the interior thereof, connector iingers extending from within the body and having on their inner end portions contact heads arranged in opposed relation with respect to each other, a socket formed in one wall of the body and communicating with the chamber, an opening formed in an opposite Wall of the body and communicating with the chamber, a push button slidably arranged in the opening and having a head portion provided with a transverse groove, a bridging plate having an actuating strip normally biased on one side thereof and having formed between its end portions a transversely extending rib, said Arib being adapted to be positioned in said' groove, a stud shaft arranged for movement in the socket and having an enlarged head provided with a reduced bead portion engaging in said rib, and an expansion spring bearing on said head of said stud shaft and positioned in said socket, said bridging plate having on opposite sides thereof contact heads adapted to engage the contact heads of said fingers by the biasing action of said plate under the inuence of said actuating strip.

JOHN O. ROESER.

No references cited. 

